The Boeing 737 crashed near the Red Sea town of Port Sudan shortly after it took off on a domestic flight for Khartoum, Sudanese television said.

Child is miracle survivor

The only survivor of the crash was toddler Lena Abd Allah, a spokesman for the national flag carrier said.

Lena was rushed to hospital in Port Sudan and Sudanese TV said she was in good condition. It was not immediately clear whether hes parents were on board.

The dead included a senior military officer and eight foreigners.

Minister of State for Aviation Muhammad Hassan al-Bahi said the pilot contacted airport officials minutes after taking off, saying there were difficulties and that he would return to the airport. The plane crashed while trying to land at the airport.

The plane joined the Sudanese airline fleet towards the end of the 1970s.